At this morning’s first SMWNYC session at the TimesCenter, we heard from Michelle Klein, Head of Marketing for North America at Facebook. Michelle began her presentation emphasizing all of the technology at we possess at our fingertips, calling us almost superhuman.

She then presented us with some figures from today’s digital age: the average adult checks their phone 30 times a day, and the average millennial checks their phone more than 150 times a day.

What exists in our lives is a “sensory experience of communication that helps us to connect with others, without having to look away,” as Michelle explained. This is great for marketers, like herself. It gives them a million ways to connect with audiences.

Next, Michelle discussed how to use technology to benefit people and create the best communication. As she said, the best technologies include: “something that makes things better, connects people through storytelling, is immediate, expressive and immersive, and adapts and changes.” Michelle spoke about the apps she uses on a day-to-day basis, which make her life easier and better.

In terms of storytelling, Facebook enables people to share and connect, through viewing the narratives of each of their friends’ lives. She then mentioned how 6 out of the 10 most downloaded apps in the world right now are messaging apps.

These messaging apps, like Facebook Messenger “are real time, and now” technologies. Michelle then discussed the “expressive”, illustrating how images help us navigate the world and tell stories in a simple and fast way.

SMW News, Social Media Week

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